MP

The retiring CLP member is Fay Miller, who has represented the seat since an October 2003 by-election. She is retiring after struggling to recover from serious injuries suffered in a March 2006 car accident.

Profile

The boundaries of the electorate of Katherine are the same as those of Katherine Town Council. This includes the town of Katherine on both sides of the Katherine River, as well as the nearby Tindall air base to the east of Katherine. The electorate and town both derive their name from the Katherine River, a name applied by John McDouall Stuart in 1862, commemorating Catherine Chambers, the daughter of South Australian pastoralist James Chambers, who had supported Stuart's expedition.

Redistribution

The boundaries of Katherine have been expanded to match the newly expanded boundaries of Katherine Town Council. This has involved the transfer of around 150 voters in rural areas around Katherine from the electorate of Daly. This change does not alter the CLP's margin.

History/Trivia

Katherine was created before the 1987 election to replace the old rural electorate of Elsey. The redistribution before the 1990 election removed all of the electorate's rural component, leaving Katherine an almost entirely urban seat. The most recent redistribution has re-incorporated some rural areas by making the seat match the boundaries of the newly enlarged Katherine Town Council. Katherine was won at its first election by Mike Reed, who served as Deputy Chief Minister under both Shane Stone and Denis Burke. He resigned in 2003, the CLP holding the seat at a by-election, though suffering the indignity of a 10.2% swing to Labor. The by-election result was repeated at the 2005 election when Labor achieved a 12.7% swing to make the seat marginal for the first time.

Issues and Polls

The Country Liberals were forced to change candidate just before the election after allegations of bullying against the originally chosen candidate.

Assessment

CLP retain, though the retirement of Fay Miller will open the contest.